The Truth
by Sandstorm0789
Summary: Mudkit is locked between his death and his curiosity. Accused of murder, dying to know his heritage, and along with persuading his brother, follow Mudkit as he goes against the warrior code for the sake of knowing the truth.
1. Prologue

Prologue

The silver tabby she-cat slipped through the crack in the rock, her belly swollen with unborn kits. A single figure stood, outlined against the bright moon. The she-cat sighed. "Oh StarClan, why does this have to be so painful?" she meowed. Staggering up, she faced the cat. "Mudheart," she murmured. Mudheart dipped his head.

"Stormflight," he greeted. Stormflight hung her head. "I-I'm sorry," she meowed. "But we can't go on meeting like this." She stared into Mudheart's cold, amber eyes, pain piercing her heart. Mudheart turned and stalked away.

"Fine," he meowed, his voice sounding almost like a growl. "Leave." His voice showed no emotion, as he bounded back to the moor.

Stormflight stared helplessly after him, her heart cracking. "Mudheart, I wish you could understand," she murmured. "It's for our kits' safety." She bent her head and gently lapped at her belly fur. Her green eyes drifted up again, towards the river. "We'll be safe," she meowed, standing taller. "But that means, goodbye, Mudheart."

She retreated back, stumbling a bit. Stormflight bounded awkwardly back to the safety of the river, and vanished into the reeds. Her heart would break, but she would never look back.


	2. Allegiances

**Allegiances**

**StreamClan**

**Leader: **Maplestar (Brown tom with clear, blue eyes)

**Deputy: **Amberflower (Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with green eyes)

**Medicine Cat: ** Brightwhisker (Ginger tabby tom with kind green eyes)

**Warriors:**

Honeyfeather (Ginger and white she-cat with one amber and one blue eye)

Stormflight (Currently queen, silver tabby she-cat with green eyes)

Goldwing (Ginger and white she-cat with grey paws, ear tips, and tail tip. Amber eyes

Apprentice, Hopepaw

**Apprentices:**

Hopepaw (Golden brown tom with amber eyes)

**Queens:**

Stormflight (mother to Sunkit, silvery brown tom with amber eyes, and Mudkit, silver patched tom with brown pelt and green eyes)

**Elders:**

None

**SwiftClan:**

**Leader: **Rockstar (Bulky brown tom with amber eyes)

**Deputy: **Mudheart (Brown tabby tom with amber eyes and streaks of gray down his side)

**Medicine Cat: ** Flowerheart (White she-cat with amber mark on forehead)

**Warriors:**

Ridgenose (White and black she-cat with amber eyes)

Cliffclaw (Gray tom)

Snowolive (Black and brown she-cat, currently queen)

**Queens:**

Snowolive (mother to Owlkit, black and grey tom, and Skykit, white and brown she-cat)

**Elders:**

None


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mudkit tumbled out of the nursery, followed quickly by his brother, Sunkit. "I win! I win!" he sang happily. "You lose! You lose!" Mudkit felt a strong pride burst inside of him. He wasn't as old as Sunkit, but could already beat his brother in hunting training, racing, and battling!

"Maybe, but I'm older," Sunkit snorted, flouncing over to Mudkit. "You know, I let you win." Mudkit felt his heart sink as he heard those words. Suddenly, he had an idea.

"Why don't we race over to Stormflight? No cheating," he added, glaring uncontrollably at Sunkit. His brother just licked a paw and stood up calmly. "Now!" Mudkit sped off, his little legs pumping behind him. Sunkit easily passed him. "Wait for me!" he yowled, speeding off as fast as he could. Mudkit passed his brother in a single leap, and bundled toward his mother, but Sunkit raced passed him, crashing into the silver tabby.

Stormflight jumped. "Sunkit! Mudkit!" she hissed angrily. Mudkit let out a squeal, as he tumbled toward Sunkit at top speed. "Watch out!" he cried, trying to veer off of Sunkit's path. He was stopped by a brown tom. The tom glared at him for clear blue eyes.

"Stay out of my way, next time," the tom hissed, before retreating back into a rocky den. Stormflight hurried over.

"My precious son!" she cried. "Are you all right?" Mudkit thought his mother was talking to him, but realized that all the worry in Stormflight's gaze was for Sunkit.

Jealousy rose inside of him. Letting out a small mewl, he cried softly, "Mama, I think I twisted my paw!" Stormflight only looked at him calmly.

"Mudkit! Stop exaggerating! Your paw's fine!" Mudkit stared in disbelief at his mother. His paw was twisted badly, and how could she not care? Crying, he ran as fast as he could away from the cat he had once called his mother. He crashed into a ginger and white pelt.

"Mudkit!" the cat cried.

"Goldwing! I don't wanna go back to Stormflight! Can I sleep with you?" He glanced hopefully at Goldwing. The she-cat looked awkward and shocked.

"Why?" she asked softly, her gaze clouding over.

"Because," Mudkit began. "Because…" He realized he couldn't answer.

"Then go back to your mother," Goldwing answered sharply. The other warriors glanced unsympathetically at Mudkit. _Great StarClan! Are all of StreamClan's warriors so mean? _he wondered.

"Mudkit! I don't want to hang around kits that misbehave!" Goldwing's voice was sharp. Mudkit shook his head, trying to clear the unpleasant thoughts, and hurrying toward the nursery. When he got in, he saw Stormflight curled around Sunkit. It was too tight for Mudkit to fit in. Disappointed, he retreated into the farthest corner of the nursery. _Nobody wants me here, _he thought miserably. _Why don't I just disappear? _Suddenly, he shot back up. _That's it! I'll show them I'm more than just Sunkit's little brother! _Mudkit crept quietly out of the nursery.

"Who's there?" boomed a voice. Mudkit froze, and edged quietly toward the reeds. He nestled himself in them, and waited for the scent to die down. Mudkit crept out again, and pelted toward the reed entrance, where most of the warriors came in from patrols. The night air was crisp, and filled with the stench of fresh river fish. Mudkit's mouth watered. A snarl came from behind him. Mudkit froze, and backed away, turning around.

Two beady eyes, glittering with malice, were fixed on his neck. A stinky stench clogged his nostrils. Suddenly, the stench became stronger, and Mudkit knew that whatever the creature was, it was ready to kill him.


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mudkit swallowed the terror rising in his throat. _You've got to stay strong! _He told himself. _Show Stormflight that she should care about me! _That made him feel better. He unsheathed his claws. Better not spook it. He lashed out, catching it by the muzzle. The creature whined on pain, and lunged at Mudkit. Mudkit tried to dodge, but his paws slipped in the ground. He scrabbled frantically, ignoring the pain scorching down his sides. _StarClan, help me!_ He prayed silently.

Mudkit suddenly grew limp, his muscles aching. _I'll throw the creature off, and jump on its back, and bite its ear, and claw his shoulders, _he decided. The creature loosened its grip, and Mudkit lunged forward, throwing it off, and jumping on. The creature swayed under his weight. Mudkit smirked. Maybe eating all that fresh-kill did help! Mudkit lunged forward, biting down as hard as he could on the creature's ear, and clawing at its shoulder fur.

The creature screeched, and Mudkit let out a hoarse yowl of triumph. He stood up on trembling legs, and chased the creature until sunrise. The light touched the creature's fur, making it glow like a flame. Mudkit realized what it was. _Fox! _Mudkit danced around happily. "I beat a fox! I beat a fox!" he cried joyfully.

Mudkit didn't notice the dawn patrol approach him, as he kept on skipping around, yowling his victory.

"Mudkit!" Mudkit stopped, mid-word. He dropped his jaw in shock.

"Uh, hi Honeyfeather," he muttered, shuffling toward the exit. "Uh, see ya!" he cried, making a run for it.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Honeyfeather cried, picking him up, ignoring his protests. "What are you doing out here?" she asked.

"Nothing!" Mudkit stammered. This was not how he had expected the night to end like. Honeyfeather eyed him skeptically.

"Stormflight's worried sick," she meowed coldly. Mudkit looked at his bloodstained claws. He sheathed them, and sat down with a bump.

"Like she would care," he muttered. "All she cares about is Sunkit!" Honeyfeather leaned toward him.

"What did you say?" She sounded bored. Mudkit was indignant. _I knew it! She doesn't even want to talk to me, even for a few heartbeats! No one wants to, _he added to himself.

"If you don't want to talk, then leave me alone!" he snapped furiously, stomping towards the camp entrance. Pain shot up through his flank and paws. "Ow! Ow!" he moaned, hopping around. Honeyfeather watched him, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"Snap out of that and help!" he snapped. "Didn't you ever help a kit in pain?" Honeyfeather nodded, and Mudkit knew exactly what she was going to say. "So help me!" he finished. Honeyfeather grabbed him and gave him a vigorous shake, before pelting off, muttering about dirty kits.

Mudkit limped back, not bothering to clean the blood off his fur. He hardly noticed the pains shooting up his flank. Mudkit crept into the nursery, about to go to his nest, when a paw clamped his tail to the ground, and dragged him outside. "Now what?" he muttered. The cat facing him was Stormflight. Mudkit turned around. "Go away!" he snarled.

"Mudkit, stop that this moment!" His mother's voice was icy, and laced with malice, while Sunkit stuck his tongue out at Mudkit.

"Go away, and go fuss over your 'perfect little warrior'," Mudkit mewed snidely. He turned away, flouncing off. _How dare she call herself a mother? _The unpleasant question flew at him. _Only caring about one kit, leaving the other to fend for itself! _He stomped out, ignoring the older cats' exclamations about him. He curled into a tight ball outside of the camp. _Let them fuss over the perfect kit in camp! _His heart broke at the thought.

His eyes snapped open. "If they don't like me, then I'm leaving."


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The stars shone coldly above, twinkling just out of reach. The grass sparkled like dew, the frost making them shimmer. The trees stood outlined, a wide expanse of blackness, on the night sky. A single figure stood, climbing to the top of a single, lone rock. His patched, brown and silver pelt blended in with the darkness. "Just a little farther," he told himself. In the distance, he could hear the voices of his Clanmates, calling out Sunkit's name. The moon was high in the sky by the time he got up.

Mudkit flopped down, panting, as the sweat strolled out of his fur. He closed his eyes. "StarClan, give me time…" he murmured, before darkness overpowered him.

Mudkit opened his eyes with a snap. The sun glared down at him, as his paws carried him back the way he'd come. Mudkit shook his head, skidding to a stop. "I have to keep on going," he meowed determinedly to himself. He let the river current carry him to a stop, and climbed out. A large, barren land worked beyond his reach. The familiar smell of fish and Streamclan made him curl his lip. _I have nothing to do with them! _He snapped to himself.

"I was hoping to have covered more territory today," he grumbled, glaring downstream at the fast working water. Fresh Streamclan scent wafted toward him. Mudkit gasped, and splashed into the stream. He gulped in some air, and dove down, his flailing paws churning silently in the water.

"I smell our missing, fish-brained kit!" A voice called, edged with sneering contempt. Mudkit forced out a small growl. _How dare those foxhearts! _He thought angrily to himself. He climbed onto the bank, his pelt rippling. It was Honeyfeather.

"So, the missing kit ran away," Honeyfeather laughed. Mudkit let out a snarl, and leaped for Honeyfeather, which she ducked, and his front paws caught her head. Mudkit unsheathed them, feeling all his hate for the she-cat swell. He sunk them into Honeyfeather's skull, and flung the warrior into the stream.

"Wow, Honeyfeather," he sneered. "I thought you were a warrior. You can be beaten by a kit!" An icy claw gripped his heart, letting its coldness flow through his body. Mudkit stretched, letting it take control of him. He advanced on Honeyfeather, feeling the she-cat tremble. "Coward!" he taunted. Mudkit bared his teeth, placing them around Honeyfeather's neck. The warrior stiffened, but then relaxed. Mudkit pricked his ears. Goldwing! He dove for cover, craning his neck to get a better view of Goldwing.

"Honeyfeather!" Goldwing sounded like a mother scolding her kits. Mudkit scowled at the thought of that. _Why has StarClan cursed me? Why don't I have a mother, like normal kits? _

Honeyfeather got up. "Stupid Mudkit flipped me over," she announced. Mudkit puffed out his chest at that, and quietly slipped into the stream. He paddled and paddled, until he reached the Moorclan moor. Mudkit climbed up, and scuffled quickly to the Twolegplace beyond. _I feel too vulnerable,_ Mudkit muttered to himself. He leaped up with his well-developed muscles, landing a mouselength close to skidding into the sea of Thunderpaths below. He panted. "Thank you, StarClan!" he breathed out, settling down for the night.

Mudkit opened his eyes, and saw a flame colored pelt shimmer into view. At first, he thought it was the legendary leader of ThunderClan, but this cat looked to slender to be him. He fluffed up his fur. "What do you want?" Mudkit growled suspiciously. The cat laughed.

"I am Squirrelflight, daughter of Firestar," the cat answered back. She looked at him closely. "Try unleashing a storm." Mudkit looked at her in wonder.

"How do I do that?" he asked, transfixed by her emerald green gaze. Squirrelflight shrugged.

"Put out all your feelings together, and watch the sky," she suggested. Mudkit glared at her.

"If you don't know how to do it, then how do you suppose I will?" he snapped. "Don't come into my dreams until you have figured it out!" Mudkit whipped around, and stomped away. He could feel Squirrelflight stare after him. _Stupid she-cat!_ He thought. _Always wondering about everything! She's to nosy!_

Mudkit closed his eyes, and heard Squirrelflight's voice. _Remember, only the splash of the mud can wake up the flight of the storm, to see the truth hidden behind their past. The light of sun shall light the path of love and friendship, and the glare of the shade shall light the path of darkness. The splash of mud shall choose which path too take._


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sunkit POV

Sunkit rolled uncomfortably in his mother's nest. "You're squishing me, Mom!" he cried, his eyes shut together with complaint. Stormflight purred in amusement.

"You're just like your father," she sighed. Sunkit pricked his ears. This was the first time in moons since Stormflight had talked about his father. All she said was he was handsome and brave, and very smart too! _I want to be like him!_

"What's his name? What does he look like? How come I've never seen him before?" Sunkit threw a barrage of questions at his mother. Stormflight stiffened.

"He is very handsome, a brown tabby with amber eyes," she murmured, not daring to meet his gaze. Sunkit looked at Stormflight with a bewildered look. How come she didn't want to talk anymore? Sunkit switched his gaze from her to the moss ball sticking out in the sunlight. He grabbed it.

"Let's play moss ball!" he cried to Mudkit. His vision disappeared, along with Mudkit. Sunkit blinked. "Mom?" he asked timidly. "Where's Mudkit?" Stormflight's eyes turned cold and hard.

"Mudkit is fine," she growled, the fur along her shoulders ruffled. Sunkit backed away, until he was cornered by the nursery, and his outraged mother. "Never talk about Mudkit ever again!" she shouted. "He's a pathetic kit, not like my little warrior!" Her eyes flamed. Sunkit felt himself shrink.

_Only the splash of mud can wake up the flight of storm, to see the truth hidden behind their past. The light of sun shall light the path of love and friendship, and the glare of the shade shall light the path of darkness. The splash of mud shall choose which path to take. _Sunkit let out a surprised meow, his paws kneading the ground, looking confused. He stretched his way outside.

"Hi Sunkit!" A loud, admiring voice chirped behind him. Sunkit turned around. It was Hopepaw, the Clan's only apprentice, and most annoying cat he'd ever known.

"Leave me alone!" Sunkit snapped. Hopepaw lowered his head in the deepest respect. Sunkit found that as a chance to smack him on the head.

"Ow!" Hopepaw stepped out of Sunkit's way, moaning about the pain. Sunkit fled the camp, crying out to his brother.

"Mudkit! Mudkit!" he wailed, his eyes closed. "Where are you?" The sky darkened as storm clouds stretched across the clear sky. Wind started to blow, grazing the treetops, as rain crashed down onto the ground. The sky moaned and heaved, as it let out its tears. Sunkit dropped onto his knees. "How could you?" he whispered painfully. "How could you, Mudkit?"


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5-

Mudkit's POV

Mudkit limped, eyes closed, towards Twolegplace. His injured paw dragged uselessly behind him. How he wished to have Amberflower beside him right now! It was so hard, without a medicine cat to tend to his wounds. He flopped down, letting his head roll around, while his muscles relaxed. Mudkit quickly groomed his fur, knowing the dangerous scents he'd smelled before was ever closer. A snarl sounded behind him. Mudkit whipped around, and stared bug-eyed. It was a full-grown badger.

"Leave me alone," he muttered carelessly.

"Young warrior leave Clan," the badger spoke, her deep voice rumbling in her chest. Mudkit shot up in surprise, wincing as stabbing pains ran through his body.

"H-how do you know how to speak my language?" he asked, body trembling violently. The badger's wise old eyes creased into a frown.

"Cat come back," she rumbled. "Star is the name." Mudkit lowered his head, eyes sparking with curiosity.

"A pleasure to meet you," he murmured. "And if you don't mind, I best be going." Mudkit scampered off without letting Star have a second thought. Star lumbered after him, and Mudkit screamed in terror. Star ran right past him to a tree trunk, and slipped through it. Mudkit blinked in surprise. When he looked closer, he got a glimpse of where the roots had been dug out, and the land sloped gently into the hard-baked earth. Star reappeared with one badger behind her.

"Luna meet Mudkit," she announced. Luna stared distractingly at Mudkit, her eyes wandering away every heartbeat.

"Er," Mudkit mumbled. "Hi." Luna glared at him, her hot amber gaze burning into his patchy, ragged fur. Star shot her daughter a warning glance.

"Luna!" she snapped. "Say something!"

"Hi," Luna grumbled. Mudkit looked away, feeling uncomfortable.

"Er, why am I here?" he asked. Luna shot up at the question.

"Yeah, Mom," she challenged. "Why is he here?" Star shook her head.

"Cat come from cat group, in need of help," she growled, returning to her usual self.

Over the next few days, Mudkit grew to like the grumpy and short-tempered badgers. He even learned a few words in their language.

"Slap!" Luna called. Mudkit felt his eyes start to close. "SLAP!" Mudkit jumped up.

"Yes, Sparkle?" he growled, glaring at her. Sparkle and Slap were their nicknames. Mudkit hated his. Luna lumbered around them. "Big Kot coming to destroy cat group," she rasped. "Slap need go back." Mudkit felt his blood turn to ice at the thought.

_I'm going to leave?_


	8. Chapter 6

**I know, I'm being very mean to Mudkit. But just you wait…**

Chapter 6-

Sunkit POV-

Sunkit lay, his body exposed, the sun warming up on his fur. Stormflight would be worried, but why not about Mudkit? He _hated _this attention, like he was some kind of hero. He wasn't. Cats only liked him because well, he saved his brother from a thistle. A _thistle. _Lots of cats could've done it too! He scowled at the unpleasant thought, his brows furrowing. A alarm call rippled through the trees. Sunkit leaped up, racing for cover. "Ah!" he screamed.

"Sunkit!" An answering call came from far away. _What kind of a hero am I? _He scolded himself. _You said you didn't want to be one, _a voice in his head pointed out mildly. Sunkit glared at his paws. _Stupid paws. Stupid Stormflight. She refuses to answer even one, teensy question on my father! _

"Sunkit! What are you doing here?" Hopepaw and his mentor, Goldwing, were padding towards him.

"Stupid, mouse-brained kit," Goldwing scolded him gently. Sunkit tore away from their grasp.

"Leave me alone!" he yowled, his claws unsheathing. Goldwing widened her eyes, backing, then fleeing towards the camp. Sunkit pinned Hopepaw down, his eyes growing wild. He raised his head, teeth baring.

"No!" Hopepaw screeched.

"Say good-bye, Hopepaw."

Mudkit POV-

_I'm leaving? _Mudkit could hardly bear holding his anger. He let it flow. "I'm leaving!?" he howled in outrage. "No! No! No!" Mudkit felt his insides churn madly, his brain spinning wildly. Mudkit fled the clearing, curling in his nest, and closing his eyes. Star lumbered after him.

"Young kit must go," she repeated, her eyes filled with grief, but hurt at the same time. Mudkit glared at her.

"Why should I?" he asked, trying to keep from yowling. Luna stepped beside her mother.

"Because," she sneered. "Cats don't belong with badgers." With a yowl, Mudkit flung himself at Luna, his weight crushing her.

"Say good-bye, Luna."

**Hehehe…anyways, thanks yet again to my lovely reviewers and viewers! What do you think Stormflight deserves? Has Sunkit and Mudkit gone mad? Post your review, and we'll find out in later chapters!**

**~Sandstorm0789**


	9. Chapter 7

**I'm so sorry that I haven't uploaded new chapters. Thanks to y'all for sticking with me! I've had writer's block, so it has been very busy! **

**Here are the answers to the reviews!**

**Guest: Hey, anything might happen!**

**Lilysplash: Thank you so much!**

**Anyways, here is the next chapter!**

Chapter 7-

Mudkit POV

"Mudkit, what are you doing?" Luna gasped.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Mudkit snarled. Luna grunted, her chest heaving. Mudkit relented, sighed, and walked to a corner of the den they shared. "Alright, I'll go back to the Clans," he muttered miserably. Mudkit turned around, and dragged himself to the edge of the badger territory.

"Good-bye!" he spoke in badger.

"Good-bye!" Luna answered. Mudkit set a good pace to the Clans. He struggled up one of the Twoleg nests, casting his gaze as far as he could see. The lake bloomed into view, a shimmering puddle of water.

"Yes!" Mudkit flipped off of the Twoleg nest, crashing into one of their weird-smelling gardens with strange flowers. Mudkit shook the grass off of his pelt, unharmed by the slightly unsmooth landing.

He raced straight for the Thunderpath, knowing that after this, would be his former home. Just as he placed his paw on the hard black path, a monster whizzed by, sending dirty water all over his fur. "Just when I thought I was clean!" he complained.

Mudkit placed all four paws on the crushed black gravel, looked both ways, took a deep breath, and ran. Another roar made him squeal in fright. The sound got louder and louder. Mudkit opened his eyes. The shiny, unnatural pelt of the monster loomed over him.

Mudkit closed his eyes, and screamed. The monster flung his body aside, tossing him like a piece of dead meat. Mudkit felt his body thump onto the dirt on the other side. Mudkit felt his body skid to a stop.

Scorching pain flew up his sides, as he blacked out. The pain continued to blaze through his body. Mudkit felt as if his ribs had been crushed, many of his bones dislocated. _Will I ever be a Clan cat? Ever again?_

**Oh! What's going to happen to Mudkit? **

**-Sandstorm0789 **


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